Tooth #2

Last Tuesday (Twos day?  Tooths-day?) Alex's second baby tooth finally wiggled free.

His grown-up tooth is already mostly grown in where he lost the first tooth, so he's not missing too many at once.  We just have to keep reminding him to keep his fingers out of his mouth; hopefully we can avoid some of the 1st grade germs.

I'm told the tooth fairy was generous again this time around.

Ballet Class

This weekend Genevieve had her first ballet class. She's taking it with her friends Julianna and Violette. She was so excited to get a leotard, tutu, pink tights, and ballet slippers!

The ballerinas introduce themselves

All the ballerinas in a line, jumping up and down!

Genevieve and Julianna

And Off Go the Other Training Wheels!

Much to my surprise and delight, Genevieve decided that it was time to lose her training wheels.

Inspired by her brother's success just a few weeks ago in July, she was ready to give it a try.  After a week or two of noodling around on her little bike which I'd taken the pedals off of, she insisted that we go over to the "pedal park" (just up the street from us) to try it out on the hill.

Her first time down the hill with pedals!  Alex (in the green shirt) is cheering her on

She went around the loop at the park exactly once before declaring that she was ready for her pedals.  I tried to gently suggest that we should probably practice a few more times just coasting without the pedals, but she insisted she was ready.  So I dutifully re-attached her pedals, she climbed back on at the top of the hill, and was pedaling by the time she was halfway down. 

Brakes...  Who needs brakes?

She still has some work to do on braking.  Her fallback right now is to either aim for some soft warm grass, or put both feet out and burn some shoe rubber to stop.  While either technique works great at the park, I think she's going to need a little more brake practice.